It is real. It is an albino common or garden grey squirrel. Albinism is recessive so will always be rare in any generation but, every now and then, an albino will be thrown up, caused by the recessive gene.

I remember there being a white squirrel mentioned to me in Water End two or three years ago so I presume that this is a grandchild of that particular squirrel so there will probably continue to be an occasional albino every few years in this area.

They tend not to live long in the wild as they stand out so much so are very vulnerable to predation.